Marine-Derived Materials for Hard Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Bone, as a tissue, has a great potential for regeneration; however, in some instances, the injury is too great, or the healing response is inadequate and the body requires additional support. Corals have been used in this capacity as bone graft materials since the 1970s. Their mineralized, porous structures are akin to bone, but our oceans are a rich source of similar organisms that could provide new directions for bone tissue engineering from osteoconductive scaffolds to bioactive compounds. This chapter examines the biological requirements for bone to regenerate and consider the evidence to support the use of marine organisms in this field, particularly in the supply of biomimetic templates and adjuncts that may enhance in vivo and ex vivo bone formation.